Gloria Allred: Shelly Sterling Good, Donald Sterling Bad

Shelly Sterling, the wife of controversial Los Angeles Clipper owner Donald Sterling, has found a new ally in her bid to retain control of the team, in the event that the National Basketball Association ousts her husband as the owner: namely, feminist attorney Gloria Allred. “She has every right to fight for the team,” Allred said, saying that even if Shelly Sterling is unpopular with fans, she can retain control, the Los Angeles Daily Newsreports.

Allred–a fixture whenever women’s rights are at issue in highly public disputes, most recently in the allegations of sexual assault against the former Democratic mayor of San Diego, Bob Filner–had few kind words for Donald Sterling himself. “Sterling needs to stop avoiding and evading responsibility and making ridiculous self-serving and pathetic excuses for what he said,” reacting to his recent interview on CNN, the Los Angeles Timesreports.

However, her defense of Sterling’s wife indicates that the NBA could have its hands full if it tries to prevent her from taking over, or retaining her current ownership stake. On Sunday night, the NBA warned Mrs. Sterling that her stake would be “automatically terminated” under the league’s constitutional provisions. However, Mr. Sterling intends to fight efforts to force him to sell, and it looks like Mrs. Sterling may be willing to fight, too.

Sterling was recorded making racist statements in a private conversation with his mistress, V. Stiviano.